After using the TAM Series 1 Pro for a couple of months, I can tell you I prefer it over the Ultimaker 2. I find that I'm using the Ultimaker 2 less and less over time. This surprised me because I was a big fan of the Ultimaker 2 print quality. The print quality is basically identical on the TAM Series 1 Pro. Plus, there is some frustration involved in owning the Ultimaker 2 which you don't have on the TAM S1 Pro.

Here are 10 reasons why the TAM Series 1 Pro is better than the Ultimaker 2:

1. The build platform is easy to access from three sides when removing parts with a scraper. The solid sides on the Ultimaker may be better for preventing drafts, but the convenience of having 3 sides open is very addictive. 2. The web cam let's me monitor the print on my iPad from anywhere in the house. I had to jury rig an old iPhone on a mount as a web cam on the Ultimaker 2 in order to monitor prints on that machine. I do wish the web cam was in the front of the platform, rather than the corner, though. The corner view distorts vertical edges making them look curved. This has caused me to run upstairs a couple of times thinking the print was flawed. This optical anomaly mainly shows up when printing large items.3. It's much easier to repair. There is nothing easy about working on an Ultimaker 2. The solid sides make it difficult to do anything with the print head unless you have rubber arms. The filament feeder is on the back side of the printer, forcing you to turn the printer backwards to work on it. So, you can't see the filament feeding out of the nozzle from a seated position while working on the rear extruder. You have to stand up and peer through the top of the printer.4. The build volume is very addictive. Having a huge build platform opens up a ton of projects that are just not possible on the Ultimaker 2. You can also print a lot more small parts at the same time.5. The heated build platform heats up really fast. When I start a print on the Ultimaker 2, it takes several minutes to heat the build plate before printing. It's frustrating to sit there waiting for several minutes just to make sure the first layer goes down properly. The TAM heats up in seconds. This a huge advantage and removes a lot of frustration.6. Unless I'm printing something very tall, I can lay small tools or a parts list on the flat top of the base.7. The TAM S1 Pro is much sturdier. The Ultimaker 2 has always struck me as fragile looking. The fact that it stops working so often amplifies this impression.8. The inverted precision slides used in the TAM require a lot less maintenance in a house with pets. I have to wipe down the rods in the Ultimaker frequently because they attract pet hair and dust. It gets old. Having one less maintenance task is always good.9. It's much easier to use flexible filament like NinjaFlex in the TAM S1 Pro, thanks to the extruder being on the print head. 10. You can use a much wider array of materials on the TAM S1 Pro thanks to the 300C maximum hot end. The maximum temperature of 260C on the Ultimaker 2 hot end is VERY limiting.

I hope this helps other buyers who are comparing the two printers.

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Bill Dempsey3-D printing enthusiast, maker, designer, and general tech geek.Currently own a Type A Machines Series 1 Pro and Ultimaker 2.Donated my Ultimaker original and CubeX Trio to my local maker space.